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How are you still on this? Its not about HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPEND. Jesus dude, you've gotta be the densest guy on these boards. We've put up data on which teams win the world series based on payroll rankings. We've put up data showing that there's a good chance that Hamilton began his decline this past year and is in no way worth the money he signed for. We've shown how as good as Greinke is, he's just not a #1 starter and shouldn't be paid as such. We are all in agreement that we don't want to trade Profar or Andrus to get Upton, which is what the DBacks want (trust me, if Olt package was enough, Upton would be a Ranger tomorrow). Same theory goes for RA Dickey for whom the Blue Jays overpaid for. I mean what more evidence do you WANT?

The team has money but JD wants to spend it wisely. I don't blame him. There are a lot of kids in the minors ready to contribute and its also wise to have the patience to let your system produce talent. Give Gentry and Martin a shot. Give Olt a shot at first. See what Perez and Scheppers can really do. Hell, even let Bourbon get some MLB at bats. I understand that a lot of players seem to have simply slipped through the Rangers fingers and I agree, Greinke would have been a great addition. But I'll be very happy when this team is financially healthy and competitive while the Angels are suffocating under their "investments". Just relax, be patient and be happy.

Sigh.

IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT'S ABOUT ACQUIRING YOUR NEEDS.

I couldn't give two craps if we want to play "moneyball" and make cheap trades to acquire a legit ace and superior pitching. Go for it. Unfortunately, this front office doesn't seem to be willing to part with talent to obtain talent. They want to go the low-risk route, which has produced such "successes" as Jason Jennings, Rich Harden, Brandon Webb, Brandon McCarthy and Roy Oswalt. You want to keep regurgitating the old argument that money doesn't win championships?? How about recognizing the argument that recycled players hasn't worked??

Next, people want to praise the "farm system". Oh, the mighty farm system! Where the **** is the ace that it has produced?

"Now stipe1280, give it more time..."

Once it was DVD, then it was Martin Perez would be an ace. We once traded one of our best farm pieces (Smoak) for an ace...then failed to re-sign him in the offseason...oops.

So how else do you suppose we go about acquiring the thing we've needed most?

"Now stipe1280, I believe Yu Darvish will become an ace..."

Believe and will all you want, but until HE DOES, he's not one. Everyone wants to point to the Giants now as a success model. Well, they HAVE an ace and if Lincecum rebounds, they'll have 2. Bumgarner isn't far off either.

So back to my point...how do you acquire what you need? The Rays aren't exactly chomping at the bit to unload Price, despite what all the Ranger homers out there are hoping. There isn't a great international pitcher out there to sign. The farm isn't ready to produce an ace and despite all the Ranger homers hopes that rest on the Buckel's of the world, guys like him, just like DVD just might not work out (*shocked face*). So now what?

FREE AGENCY

"Well that's all fine and well, but guys like Greinke are being paid too much money."

Too much money? Is it coming out of your pocket? Well, in a sense it is. You buy tickets don't you? How about a hat or $7 beer at the game? And just how is that money being used? (You do realize it IS being used right? We've had 3 stadium upgrades in as many years...stadium upgrades that improve the stadium...that improve the owners investment.)

Well, it's been used to overpay Scott Feldman in the past. It was used to overpay Michael Young. But now, all of a sudden, we're worried about "overpaying" to fill one of our needs???

What free agent isn't "overpaid"? Here's the thing though...is Pierzynski and Soria going to make this team a better team than one with Hamilton or Greinke? Pffft. What a stupid question. Of course not. Especially not after you let a huge hunk of your veteran guys go elsewhere.

So who ****ing cares if your team is spending $130m/yr. (which they can afford with increased attendances, two long playoff runs in 3 years and a massive TV deal on the horizon)? So what if a $90m/yr. payroll is more than a lot of other teams? We're not the Rays...we don't have a David Price. If you have an ace/superior pitching, you can afford to have a lesser payroll.

Some of you Ranger homers out there want to just "trust the system" and "hope and believe we can win". Terrific. But let me ask you this....

Just how many titles have the Tampa Bay Rays won with their system?

You guys rest on the low-risk crap, but for those of us who see this team as the post-Hicks team that can afford to do more than they're doing to INCREASE THE ODDS AT WINNING, don't lecture me on what could happen and cite teams that have done more with less, when those teams don't resemble the product we have in front of us in the least.